Ready to Make Nice
by Finge sunt meliora
Summary: A young woman has finally decided it's time to go back to the family that she left in Vegas. Will all of the CSI's left accept her or will she be on her own again?AU. My very first fanfic, so please check it out and review!
1. Chapter 1

Fan Fic (sort of)

Lucie's POV

"Alright…" he had a goofy, kind of, self-proud smile plastered on his face, "Everything is set," We stood up and shook hands.

"Thank you Mr. Ecklie we really appreciate your help," I say. I look over at my husband, who simply nodded in agreement.

"Well, when I saw your resumes I just knew you two were perfect so I did everything I could," Ecklie shrugged as if it was no big deal, "Shift starts in a few minutes so go along, don't wanna be late on your first day do you?" his tone suggested he was talking to a small child.

_Ptch! So typical, always had to put people bellow him _I think to myself. John and I walked out to the hallway and stood for a second before heading to the locker room.

"Okay, I give up; why are you looking at me like that?" I enquired of my husband. My lips pursed together and raised an eye brow and almost laughed aloud.

_Gosh I probly look just like my mother right now!_

"I'm not looking at you in any way, I just think you look really… really… beautiful," His lips rested a whisper away from mine. He then pushed me against the locker next to me and captured my rose pink lips.

"Hey I worked hard to look really… really… beautiful. And you're going to ruin it if you keep frisking me," I replied in the soft, intimate tone only some lovers can create.

He sighed over dramatically and backed off with his hands raised as if to surrender. "Alright, alright." I cupped his face in my hands then headed for the break room.

I stuck my head in first, to see that no one was occupying the room, and that nothing had changed since I'd been here last.

The seat in the middle on the side closest to the door was always mine because my dad always sat there; I wanted to be just like him, bug guy and all.

We were a tight knit family, especially the kids. Dillon, Eden, Marcus, and I were inseparable really "Joined at the shoulder, feet and everywhere in between." Our mom always used to say. That's why, I guess, it was hard for them after I left. I tried to call, send emails, letters even, but they never replied so I gave up trying. It made me anxious to think about possibly seeing them again after all of these years.

_It should be fine; you guys were tight, maybe they'll be totally cool about everything and… No. Idiot! You know them; they won't just take you back into their lives. 'Specially if mom and dad have anything to say about it. I mean after all y-_

"Oh, you must be the new CSI, huh?" an older man asked while he extended his hand toward me. I got up quickly and extended my left hand out of habit, but retracted it as soon as I saw his other hand out. I tried to shake it off with a laugh, but it sounded more like a nervous giggle. At least he was still light natured with his Zen stuff.

"Yes Sir, Lucie Emerson, US Army, Lieutenant Cornel, Killa Special Force Team Leader, Sir." He looked slightly amused at the mention of my team name, "Long story short was I wasn't there when the six guys on my team chose the name,"

He laughed knowingly, "That sounds about right, that's cool though. Well I'm D.B. Russell the Night Shift supervisor, welcome."

"Thank you Sir," We sat down as a group of three others entered the room, laughing and joking. I recognized Nick, Greg, and Morgan all stood by the coffee machine.

"I think we'll wait for everyone to get here before we start with introductions," D.B. told the others. The group turned around with the same confused look gracing their faces. I smiled and half saluted in reply. Before any of them could talk, Finn came in.

"Sara's gonna be here in just a minute, she has to finish with some evidence from that case she's working with days,"

"Okay, well, for the first time ever we don't have a case yet, so maybe we could give you a tour of the lab; let you settle before we throw ya right in there," Russell started to stand.

Before he could bother himself, my, "Oh Sir, don't worry about it," was a little too hurried the questioning glances flew from the corners of eyes, "I already got the tour, but thank you, sir"

"What's up with calling him 'sir', you know we're pretty laid back here, no one is ma'am or sir unless their important to be nice to. Oh like" but Nick got cut off.

_Damn it would've been nice to know who runs this town now_

"Sorry I'm latte guys, the days supervisor was freaking out that I had to leave for my own shift," My mother walked briskly into the room, obviously annoyed, and headed straight for the coffee.

_Ah! Didn't think she still worked here!_

My mom's hair was still dark, I hadn't seen her face but I'm sure it had some more defined laugh lines. I turned my head back to look at the table, catching a glimpse of my now coworkers. They had scrutinizing looks on their faces, like they were trying to place me.


	2. Chapter 2

All Seeing POV

Sara turned and froze. All she could do was let her jaw drop to the floor. Lucie's cheeks turned bright apple red so she fidgeted with the horribly worn handmade bracelet on my wrist trying to distract her from the fact she would now have to deal with the one thing that had plagued her thoughts since she left.

A strangled whisper escaped Sara's mouth, "Lucie- Mae?" Her daughter finally met her watery gaze.

Sara's POV

I could hardly keep myself form scooping Lucie into my arms. I had to remind myself that there was a reason she left, it could've been me, her father anybody; anything, I didn't want to ruin our possible relationship before it started. Tears, though, came to her eyes; that said she still cared, maybe even loved me. They were pushed down; obviously she was hiding her emotions.

Lucie's POV

I could feel all of my pent up emotions and sadness coming forth at the sight of my mom.

'_Come on Grissom, soldiers don't cry!'_

My sergeant from basic training; his voice came into my head. That was the day one of the camps got blown to bits, soldiers and all, while I was standing while I was standing a mere twenty feet away.

_I could've done something to prevent- Of course you couldn't have you're a good for nothing-_

I pushed those thoughts aside; I wasn't that person any more. I hesitantly stood from my chair, not sure what my mother was going to do.

"Mom!" I tried to hold back, but it slipped passed my thick walls as a hoarse whisper. She ran to me and engulfed my small frame with her welcome arms, with tears rushing down even her face. I was still fighting my tears.

_But you're not a soldier, honorably discharged. Now you can be human, a girl who hasn't seen her mother in ten years. _

My conscience always tried to reason with the depressed thoughts that plagued my mind. My mother pulled back slightly, seeing the inner turmoil. The look of sympathy almost killed me.

"What happened to you? Where have you been?" her voice was soft and curious, not at all harsh like I'd imagined. My mom held my face with a feather like grasp, as she did when I was kid. Nevertheless I leaned into the comfort I so desperately needed.

"Maybe you could all come over to my place for dinner and we can talk?"

"Okay," My mom whispered back, "What if we brought Dillon, Eden, and Marcus over?" I must've visibly tensed because she gave me a scolding look, "You know you're going to have to patch things up with them, and I don't care how high and mighty you think you are compared to them,"

"Mom, they don't want anything to do with me, if anyone were high and mighty it would be them! I sent you all letters, postcards, emails, phone calls, I get that I just left, but I tried explaining. No one listened before I left or even after. I got nothing from them or you. That told me you didn't care whatsoever!" I pulled back angrily.

_How dare she try to blame me! How could she! I mean isn't your family supposed to be there and support you in whatever you choose?_

"Lucie-Mae! We never got anything from you, so don't go throwing a fit like it's our fault!" My parents, especially my mother, hardly ever raised their voices or had to defend themselves to us, so it surprised me when her first reaction was to cross her arms to me.

"Okay you two! Settle this later please. Or I will get you transferred to another shift," he pointed threateningly at me.

_Why was everyone so against seeing me? I still don't get it…_

John found this moment convenient to step in. "Sorry I'm late, Sir, I got a little lost." He stepped farther into the room.

_Now he decides to come in. I hope he knows I saw him standing in the door way when I hugged my mother._

"Don't worry too much; we have yet to get a case tonight," D.B .said, "Since everybody's here why don't we get to know each other?" he clapped his hands together then rubbed them with excitement, like a kid waiting to open presents on Christmas.

Confusion coated every ones faces, but Nick voiced their concern first, "Wait; there's two new-bees?"

"Um, yes, since we've been getting a lot of cases lately I thought more people would help, and now days has more options to pillage from," Everyone smirked or just nodded their heads in knowing agreement and started introducing themselves to John, each stepping up shaking his hand in turn

"Hi I'm Julie Finlay, but I go by Finn,"

"Morgan Brodey,"

"Nick Stokes,"

"Greg Sanders," Greg whipped his hair and fixed a goofy lopsided gin to his face, before taking Johns hand, "You know, it takes a lot to be part of this team and family, do you have what it takes?" Greg had a scowl and was looking John up and down in what I could only assume to be an intimidating look. John seemed confused at the sudden change in the man's demeanor.

"W'll, but of course, Sir." John exaggerated his British accent, and straightened to his full six foot two height. His smile was perfect, and his hard worked body extremely apparent. It all aroused butterflies in my stomach. Greg snuck back to his spot obviously annoyed that he wouldn't be able to intimidate the new CSI. No one tried to cover up their amusement.

"Sara Grissom,"

"I'm D.B., now it's your turn,"

"John Emerson, US Army, Major, Killa Special Farce team, Sir," he stood at attention ready to solute.

"At ease soldier," Russell laughed, "We'll work on that, with both of you."

I laid my hand on his shoulder, and then launched into my own practiced routine, "Kiler Emerson, US Army, Lieutenant Cornel, Killa Special Force team leader," I started my jump into attention, but retracted quickly. I took orders from my superiors, and if he didn't want jumps to attention then I would adjust.

"Wait a sec!" my mom caught on, "You're married to him and you're working together, you've been working with him. How long have you been together? Better yet how long have you known each other?" All attempts to stem the flow of questions were fertile.

"Relax, we've known each other for ten years, been together ever since. We worked on the same spec ops team because our skills were required." I explained sparsely.

Everyone was speechless. They'd all practically watched me grow up and then I run away to come back a woman and married.

_Not the biggest surprise they'll get tonight…_

"Ok, how 'bout we save this 'till after shift. Unless this isn't gonna work and we need to move some people around." DB brought up. Everyone closed their mouths and continued listening to him, "Why don't I give John the dime tour" he took his buzzing phone from his pocket, "And the rest of you head to the new casino off of Flamingo. Sara I'll text you the details as I get them, and meet you there."


	3. Chapter 3

We all went to the locker room to grab kits and jackets, then figured out rides as we walked to the parking lot. My mom was driving with me in shot gun and Nick in the back.

I decided to try and break the uncomfortable silence, "So are Greg and Morgan together yet?"

The two older CSI's just snickered; "Sort of" my mom start, but couldn't finish, because she was laughing so hard.

"They- they're getting married next week. Ecklie still doesn't know about it!"

My only response was to let my jaw drop: "Well," my mom regained her composure, "Morgan got pregnant with their first child Loeila, six years ago,"

"Damn she's turning seven next month!" Nick exclaimed; slapping the back of my mother's chair.

"Yup… Anyways, it was before they got married. Because of Greg's 'blatant irresponsibility" Ecklie won't allow them to get married! They had to pull out most of his teeth to get him to agree to them living together, for the sake of HIS grandchild,"

"Of all people!" I managed

"I know right! So we've planned on kidnapping Ecklie and taking him to the wedding they've been putting together, so he can at least have his dream of walking her down the aisle.

We pulled up in front of the Hotel/Casino. "Uh, that's insane!" I told them and hopped out of the car.

"Yeah I just hope it goes well," she mumbled, "But we have a case to focus on, so let's get to it,"

After we fought our way through the vultures, we rode the elevator to a floor completely infested with police. We ducked under the tape into a whole new world.

"The walls are all either black or white," Brass informed us; Finn, Morgan, and Greg had arrived just behind us. "So we can assume that someone painted over them or its blood," I had to hold my hand over my nose and breath; so as not to lose my last meal.

"Hey! I thought you were supposed to be a tough super ninja, why you looking so green?" My uncle laughed.

"I am. The smell's just really strong. It's not like I've smelt blood in a while," I shrugged and dropped my kit on what I hoped to be an evidence clear spot.

"How about you start taking pictures in here, I'll start collection with Finn and Morgan. Nick I want you in the bathroom and Greg in the bedroom area," we all split up to our assigned jobs.

I started with the body and took pictures head to toe, just like my parents taught me before, then spiraled out. Every square inch of the room was evidence. The carpet had spatter, there were bits of the victim scattered around, and even the bathroom had blood all over. A quick phenolphthalein test proved the whole room just had a blood bath. We worked for an hour before Dave finally got there.

"I thought it was just Hodges saying stuff when he told me that Sara had a clone, but now I guess he's a little more sane in my book," He laughed, "Lucie how are you?" he held his arms out, I accepted the gesture lightly, hoping I didn't get any grime on the back of his jacket. He'd practically been my older brother growing up in the lab, still is hopefully. "_I don't think I ever told him that before I left"_

"I've been doing pretty well, how about yourself and your wife, little Albert?"

"Really well! The both of us, though I don't think Albert is so little anymore. He's turning ten in a couple of months!"

"Aww, that's right- well I really want to talk to him,"

"Definitely!" He crouched down and got straight to work, "Well it's a dead body, but I can't tell you much more, I'll have to find the liver in autopsy. But I'll call you once I've started; not that there's much left for me to open up," We all smirked, even if it looked more like a grimace. Dave's humor wasn't quite as dry as it used to be. The medical examiner took the body and left us to our long night.

The last team members joined the 'party' a few minutes later. They snapped on gloves from the doorway and took in the carnage.

My mom interrupted their thoughts though, "Hey newbie, not so fast, alright! You can help Lucie take pictures," John tip toed around markers to grab the extra camera she was holding out, and then worked his way over to me.

"I've got this area; you might want to help either Nick or Greg." He nodded and continued to the bathroom doorway, "Use the spiral," He had a few years of criminal forensics training under his belt, but nowhere near the number of years in the lab as I did.

"So what do we know?" D.B .was still looking from the doorway.

"We couldn't get anything off the body, so Brass is checking with the front desk," My mom started, "and there's not much from the scene yet, it's all evidence that has to be processed back at the lab,"

"Ok, ok, what about the stuff you have been able to process?" everyone shared looks not sure what they had or where to start.

I cleared my throat before asking quietly, "D.B. could I take a crack at it?"

He seemed surprised that I'd spoken up. We talked a little when we met, but I didn't know him, and he always knew me as Sara's youngest daughter. He tried, but he looked so much like my kidnapper, I didn't want to try. Things got more comfortable when I was in high school and he was my psych teacher.

"Yeah, by all means go for it,"

"The walls have been painted with human blood, presumably the victim's. That could suggest an extreme mental breakdown, drugs, or some kind of sick ritual, even a presentation of the killing. There are signs of a struggle all around suggesting the victim was either thrown around or the place was tossed. The scene is also overly messy which could mean this was unplanned, something went wrong, or the killer wasn't done yet. As soon as we get the place cleared of physical evidence it'll be easier to discern what happened. The observed damage to the victim says that this was personal, full of intense rage. The body was left in total shreds making visual ID impossible. I also noted that the victim was male and missing, um, parts. Fingerprint pads are scared and callused could've been because of his job or it was done on purpose." I finished with a slight nod of my head. The team was staring at me, none of them had seen those things, but I couldn't quite read their expressions.

"We've got an ID; front desk was more than happy to hand everything over. Guy who rented the room was Nathan Giverson," John jumped to his feet.

"That's not possible, Petty Officer Nathan Giverson died in the line of duty about two years ago,"

"Maybe, but that's what the papers say," Brass shrugged.

"Did you know each other?" D.B. asked; his interest piquing.

"Yeah we served on the spec. ops. Team together, one of the six main members. Nathan was our tech guy, was the reason we were able to pull off our missions." John couldn't help but shake his head, the team always joked that they were bests soul mates, because they were so similar.

"Ok, we'll figure all this out. If it turns out to be your friend I have to remove you and Lucie from the case and probably hand the investigation over to another agency. In the meantime let's get everything tagged and put away properly, and then we'll finish processing at the lab. We can send a group back here to help Finn with the blood. Does that sound good to everyone?"

We all gave consent and continued with our given tasks.

I had finally worked my way over to the bathroom door; taking pictures of what looked like the remains of a shirt when I heard John ask, "Was sind ihre gedanken?" _What are your thoughts? _We hadn't used German in a while so at first I just looked at him blankly. It was one of the languages that was foggy after we were discharged.

I was able to respond with "Ich weiB nicht," _I don't know, "_Ich bin verirrt, pero yo creo nous allons capirlo," I looked up from my evidence to see his eyes get really wide.

"Tu bien?"

"Si, miksi giati tha prepa non?" _Yes why wouldn't I be?_

"Porque tu esta hablandas otra idiomas en una frase!" _Because you are speaking other _languages_ in one sentence._

I hadn't even noticed, that had been happening a lot lately. John had been trying to convince me to go to a speech and psych therapist. I didn't want to go back; I'd already been to enough. "Oh, sorry didn't notice," I just shrugged and tried getting back to work, but of course John wouldn't drop it.

"See this is what 'm talking about Luce, you should get help, it's" he tried to whisper, because everyone was giving us curious glances.

"I don't need help." I looked at him pleadingly, "We can discuss this later," I know John was frustrated by my PTSD symptoms, but he wasn't the only one and he sure as hell was acting like it.

"No Lucie! You always say that, but you never talk! And I'm sure your family will agree with me!" He came out of the bathroom, his face and body language reading that he wouldn't back down now.

I stood to face him, "Don't bring them into this. It's not important anyways, and I thought you of all people would understand that I don't want to see someone yet. I want to get a routine started, a life before adding anything. Plus it could sort itself out." I tried, but it didn't seem to detour him.

"I get what you saying I just think you've suffered long enough,"

_Love him to death, but this is getting ridiculous_. "I'm not suffering and you know what, this can wait till we're at home, John."

The muscles in his jaw and biceps kept clenching and relaxing, making it obvious how mad he was. "Fine," he finally relented, "but you aren't going to just skirt around the issue anymore," with that he turned back to helping Nick.

Everyone was so quiet and still you'd think they were statues. My mom's hand had sneaked to her holster, but I tried not to give it any thought. _What she must think of me_


End file.
